


In the Same Way

by Emmybazy



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Always a Different Sex, F/F, Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:13:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23992828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emmybazy/pseuds/Emmybazy
Summary: Luke, famous lesbian, somehow stumbles into a casual sexual relationship with her best friend and bandmate, Calum. It's all fun and games until- honestly it's all just fun and games.Or, 5sos are all girls. Luke and Calum are in love. That's pretty much it.
Relationships: Luke Hemmings/Calum Hood
Comments: 3
Kudos: 26





	In the Same Way

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! 
> 
> I made a note on my last 5sos fic I posted that it'd probably be my last one but then quarantine happened and I found this fic 80% completed in my work in progress folder. The bulk of this was written in 2015 so the story line and references makes a lot more sense in 2015 than they do in 2020 so please suspend the belief. 
> 
> I know, atleast when I started writing this, that there was a lot of discourse over "always a girl" fics. For reference, I started writing this while I was slowly starting to date a woman who had previously just been my friend so I had a lot of feelings to put on paper and was not involved in any f/f ships at the time. That relationship crashed and burned which is another reason why this got cast aside even though it was one of the funnest things I've ever written. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!

Luke’s body hurts. The sheets hit her body the wrong way and she feels like she’s suffocating. A strand of blonde hair wraps around her neck. She might cut it off one of these days, get a cute spiky pixie like Calum or a shaggy bob like Mikey. Hell, even Ashton’s hair length, hitting the tops of her shoulders, would be better. But no. Luke has to make her life more difficult, growing her hair out for the past four years until now it’s a blanket down her back that hits at her waist. It’d be a completely average length if she wasn’t so tall. 

Luke fights her arm out of the cage of the covers and pulls the hair from where it’s wrapped around her. Now that she’s slowly waking, she registers how badly she needs to pee. It’s not a shock, she drank a fair deal of vodka cranberries last night. She can feel them pressing against the back of her forehead. It’s not going to be a pleasant day. 

Luke whines into her palm, promising she’s never going to drink again, a promise she’ll break in 12 hours, probably. She slowly blinks awake, stretching her arms up overhead. 

It’s at that point she realizes she’s naked. Nothing out of the ordinary there. Sometimes, especially when she’s lost her inhibitions, she likes to rip her clothes off before she goes to sleep, tossing them vaguely toward her clothes hamper before burrowing into bed. 

The room is dark. They all bought swanky opaque shades after their first single took off and they suddenly had a bit of money in their bank accounts. Luke reaches out for her bedside lamp. Her hand fumbles for the chord that she pulls every morning. She can’t find it. 

Luke looks up to find the chord but there is no lamp. In fact, there’s no bedside table, only a poster of Hayley Williams on stage at Monumentour. Oh. Luke must be in Calum’s room. Normal. That’s why the blankets are so heavy, Calum has far too many blankets on her bed. 

Luke looks to her left and sees Calum. Her hair is all mussed up around her face, the bleached streak sticking up where her face mashes into the pillow. Luke startles when she notices Calum is naked too. 

Luke pouts, confused. Luke’s not a stranger in Calum’s bed, neither of them really like sleeping alone, but they’ve never gone to bed naked together before. They’ve seen each other naked, they’re in a band together and live in the same house. Luke has seen all of the girls in various state of undress, but they’re not exactly to the point where they could share a bed naked. Luke must have had more to drink last night than she remembers. 

Luke sits up and looks for clothes on the floor on her side of the bed. There’s nothing, so she looks over Calum’s side. In a neat pile near the door, Luke’s dress and Calum’s shorts are intertwined on the floor. Almost as if Luke and Calum undressed right next to each other. 

Luke slaps a hand over her mouth. They couldn’t have. They wouldn’t. No matter how drunk they were. 

Luke scans her body and notices a mottled pattern of hickeys along her lower torso, trailing down. It triggers a switch in her mind and the memories of Calum’s face between her thighs rushes back. Luke gasps. 

“Go back to sleep,” Calum mumbles into the pillow.

“Calum,” Luke breathes. 

“What?” Calum pops open one eye, disgruntled. 

Luke’s jaw drops, the words stuck in her throat. Calum’s yet to take note of the situation. Should Luke ignore it? They can pretend it never happened?

Calum raises up on her elbows and looks at Luke, teasing the hair out of her face, “Are you naked?”

“We had sex,” Luke blurts out, immediately covering her mouth. 

Calum, confused at first, drops her head back down onto the pillow, “Oh, cool.”

Luke watches Calum wrap her arms around the pillow and try and fall back to sleep. Luke is frozen, naked in her best friend’s bed. She ignores that for a second to pinch her unresponsive best friend’s shoulder. 

“Ow!” Calum raises her head back up, “What was that for?”

“Cool? That’s all you have to say?” 

Calum shrugs, “It was bound to happen eventually.”

Luke’s jaw drops for the umpteenth time since waking up, “What?”

Calum, looking disappointed about it, settles into a position on her side, her breasts barely covered by the heavy sheet and her eyes staring up at Luke, “You honestly didn’t see this coming?”

“I’m not some stereotype Calum,” Luke insists, “Just because I’m gay doesn’t mean I want to sleep with all my friends.” Luke crosses her arms over her chest and brings her knees up underneath, shielding as much of her nude body from Calum’s eyes as possible. 

Calum rolls her eyes and falls onto her back. She extends her hands and counts off on her fingers, “I’ve made out with Ashton, did a lot of stuff with Mikey,” she pauses on her third finger, “it was our destiny, since you’re the gayest of us all.”

Luke pinches her lips together. She’s not the gayest, per se, she’s merely the only one who’s a lesbian. Ashton identifies as straight, Calum’s bi, and Mikey’s a little fuzzy on the labels. 

“Ok,” Luke counters, mirroring the extended fingers, “You kissed Ash for a drinking game, once, and you and Mikey experimented with each other years ago. I don’t see how I fit into that equation.”

“Come on Luke,” Calum snakes a hand around Luke’s belly and Luke stiffens, “don’t be jealous that I got to you last.” Calum tries to snuggle up against Luke’s hip, determined to get more sleep. 

“Oh my god,” Luke shakes her head, “We’re seriously not going to talk about it?”

“We can, but can it wait an hour?” Calum mumbles against Luke’s skin.

Luke extracts herself from Calum and huffs out a sigh. She darts her long arm out to grab Calum’s t-shirt hanging from one of the dresser drawers. Calum whines when Luke stands and grabs a pair of Calum’s underwear, the toucan ones, and leaves Calum alone in bed. 

“I’ll see you in an hour then,” Luke calls out over her shoulder as she heads for the door. 

“Lucas!” Calum calls from her bed, frustrated. Luke shuts the door behind her and leans against it, taking a deep breath. God, she needs a shower, a pair of sweatpants, and breakfast. She heads for the bathroom, ready to start checking things off the list. 

*****

Luke sits, curled up in an armchair in their living room. Her legs try and force themselves into a comfortable position, but they’re far too long and stumbly to fit elegantly on the chair. Luke ends up tucking them up to her chest and forcing her feet to stay on the edge of the chair. 

“Morning!” Calum calls from the kitchen, “Luke?”

“In here,” Luke says, sipping her coffee. She’s never loved coffee. The taste is a little dark for her but she made the pot for Mikey and fancied the idea of a warm drink. 

“Is this for me?” Calum calls from the kitchen, no doubt looking at the plate Luke left for her. 

“No, it’s my sacrifice to the kitchen Gods,” Luke mumbles, her head still pounding. Her skin fits again but her brain feels like it’s in a boxing ring. 

“Sweet, thanks,” Calum’s arm disappears again and Luke hears the microwave start. Luke remembers the night when Calum had walked around the house with the microwave in her arms, saying it was her microwave. That was a good night. 

Calum walks into the living room. Luke startles to see Calum’s only wearing a loose camisole and rolled up boxers. It’s normal for Calum to be in various states of undress. It is not normal for Luke and Calum to have sex. Luke stares too long at the curve of Calum’s waist, peeking out from beneath the fabric of the shirt and disappearing again into the folds of the boxers. 

“Woah,” Calum’s eyes open wide when she sees Luke’s skin, “I really fucked you up, didn’t I?” Calum balances the plate and fork in one hand while she walks to Luke, grabbing her chin and lifting up. 

“You should see my thighs,” Luke tries to catch Calum’s gaze but Calum is focused on the hickeys up and down Luke’s neck, “I didn’t know that was a thing for you.”

“It isn’t,” Calum lets out. She snaps out of her trance and lets go of Luke’s chin, stepping back to fall onto the couch, “Have fun explaining that to the fans.”

“Oh please, I’m stealing all your scarves for a week,” Luke says, a hint of a smile taking over her face. 

Calum pouts and eats a bite of the eggs Luke made earlier and swallows, “So what exactly are we talking about?”

“We had sex?”

“What, did you not enjoy it or something?” Calum smirks. Luke holds a breath in her chest. The memories of last night don’t feel like they actually happened, the beer goggles taking out any feeling of real, but Luke knows she had a good time. 

“But shouldn’t we, like, talk about it?” Luke says, “So that it’s not awkward?”

Calum shakes her head and nabs a piece of toast, “People have drunken sex, it’s not a big deal. We’re fine.” Calum takes a huge bite of the toast, her face starting to color as she wakes up, vanishing the pale hue Calum tends to get after a night out. 

“If you insist,” Luke sighs, “You’d be the one to know.”

“Hey,” Calum’s gaze hardens, “I’m not a slut. I like sex, ok? And I’m safe about it. So don’t say it like that.” Luke sees the insecurity edging Calum’s features. It’s true, Calum goes out and finds people more often than the rest of them. In all the major cities they stay in, she has her people she can call at 3am and will stop by. She is safe and she’s not rude to any of them. Calum’s ‘splits’ have been a lot easier than Mikey’s. Luke, however, didn’t mean it that way. 

Luke’s only had sex with a few people, two different boyfriends in high school and two girls who she saw casually after Luke came out a year and a half ago. The girls, a model and a pop sensation, were great for a few laughs and a few nights spent in each other’s beds, but when they tried to make it more committed, it never worked. Luke needs someone who can be there for her, who she can call and they’ll be a few streets away, not a few countries. She’s hit a dry spell since she ended things with Ella. Until Calum. 

Luke turns to watch the movie she’d put on earlier, Calum focusing on her breakfast. 

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Luke says after a beat. 

“I know,” Calum responds, “I’m hungover.”

It’s the closest they’ll get to an apology and acceptance so Luke keeps her eyes on the TV, even when Calum finishes her breakfast and turns so her back is against the seat of the couch and her legs stick up in the air. From Luke’s periphery, she sees the camisole hang down to reveal Calum’s midriff and Luke tries not to flash back to the night before, the feel of Calum’s skin under her fingertips.

Mikey stumbles in, sleep hazy. She takes note of the scene in front of her and points directly at Luke, “Who the fuck did that to you?”

Without hesitation, Luke points at Calum who beams and points down at herself. Calum mocks, “You should see her thighs.”

Mikey grins and rushes to Luke, arms spread, and fumbles last second to land on Luke heavily, “Welcome to the club!”

“Oh my god!” Ashton peeks her head into the room, “the ‘I know what Calum’s tongue feels like’ Club?”

Luke raises a hand in faux celebration, “Woohoo.” Mikey and Ashton cheer properly. 

“I don’t like this,” Calum mumbles from wear she’s still sat upside down on the couch, “I’ll never get to join.”

“It’s ok, you’re an honorary member,” Ashton plops down next to Calum. 

“Hey guys,” Luke says, brightening, “we should make a band!”

Mikey sighs, “Of course you would ruin it. Thanks Luke.”

Ashton smirks and wraps an arm around Calum’s leg, “It would be a better name than 5 Seconds of Summer.”

Luke laughs with Mikey and Calum rights herself. They settle in for a few hours of hangover clearing, movie time to prepare themselves for a day of banding. 

*****

“Can I borrow that shirt?” Calum walks into Luke’s room without knocking and jumps onto the bed, short skirt flowing around her thighs with a matching bra. Luke needs to buy more cute underwear like Calum. 

“Yeah, it’s still in the bag,” Luke replies. They had gone shopping earlier and there had been a great sale. They’d gotten mobbed as they were shopping and hadn’t been able to try anything on, had bought what they had in their hands and left. 

Luke stands in front of her mirror and assesses the dress she’d bought on a whim. They’re going to another club tonight, the two of them. She thought the dress would be a good night out dress when she’d seen it in the store, but now she’s not so sure. The swirling pattern of blues looks lovely but the cut of the bust is loose. 

“Does this look ok?” Calum asks and Luke turns to see Calum tucking the last bit of the black, lacy top into the plum skirt’s waist. The fabric falls lovely against Calum’s curves. Luke finds herself jealous, sighing at the sight that is Calum’s cleavage. 

“Yes, you look perfect,” Luke turns back to the mirror with a frown, fussing with the top of her dress, “I wish I had boobs like you. Clothes never fit me right.”

Luke sees Calum’s reflection walk closer in the mirror, Calum’s stare intent on Luke, “you look great. Don’t be mean to your boobs, they’re cute.”

Luke snorts and cups them in her hand, aware of Calum’s gaze following the movement, “Thanks, that’s exactly what I want to hear from someone I’ve slept with.”

It’s been five days since they woke up together and it still doesn’t feel like an actual memory to Luke. To her, it feels more like that time she made the mistake of reading fan fiction of her and the girls. The gritty memories in her head feel like a fairytale sexcapade more than an actual encounter. 

Calum, on the other hand, seems to remember it well. Luke’s noticed Calum’s hands lingering more than usual and her sight tipped down more often than not when Luke walks into the room.

It’s nice, really, for Luke. She’s always seen Calum as a sexual entity. Calum was one of Luke’s first crushes, of the ones that mattered. But Luke’s always had the suspicion that Calum didn’t see Luke as sexual at all. It’s not like Luke wants Calum drooling over her all the time, but Calum’s appreciation for Mikey and Ashton’s body has never reached it’s way to Luke. After that night, it’s as if Calum’s eyes have been opened to the fact that yes, Luke does have a sex drive. Luke’s been preening more than usual because of the new attention while Calum seems to be puzzled over it all. 

Calum steps up directly behind Luke, face popping over Luke’s shoulder. She smirks at Luke in the mirror, “As someone who’s slept with you, I can say I have absolutely no complaints about your body.”

“Really?” Luke says, incredulous.

“Yeah,” Calum responds, resting her chin on Luke’s shoulder. 

“So you’d be up for another go?” Luke laughs like it’s a joke but keeps her hands firmly on her breasts. The air is starting to settle heavy. 

A light flicks on in Calum’s eyes. Luke feels Calum shift so that her back is pressed against Luke, hands come up to sit on Luke’s waist, “Definitely.”

They hold their positions for a moment before something shifts and Luke realizes what’s happening. Everything is far too serious. That’s not who she and Calum are. Luke laughs, “Wait, so are we going to have sex again? Is that what’s happening right now?”

Calum grins and shrugs, “I’m up for it if you are.”

Luke bites her lip around a smile, “Has sex ever messed up one of your friendships? Like, this is fine, right? You and Mikey did it and it made you better friends?”

Calum turns her head so her lips sit along the shell of Luke’s ear, “This can be whatever we make of it.”

Luke shakes her head in disbelief and interlocks her fingers over Calum’s, sliding Calum’s hands up to her breasts and says, “No reason to go to the club if we can stay in.” Calum’s hands grip Luke through the material of her dress, thumbs already brushing against the skin right beneath Luke’s collarbones. Luke sighs and tips her head back against Calum’s shoulder. Calum’s hands feel soft and they’re exactly what Luke needs right now. 

“This is good,” Calum whispers into Luke’s ear, “I miss your hickey necklace. Looked good on you.”

Luke smiles and tips into the feel of Calum’s lips sliding down her throat.

*****

It’s an award show day. They’re good days, for the most part. Being on the red carpet reminds Luke of their celebrity. For her, it’s weird opening up magazines with pictures of her face next to Selena Gomez or Chloe Grace Moretz, but when they’re on the red carpet and Luke is rubbing elbows with some of her favorite artists, it all feels that much more real. Tonight’s the VMAs and they’re up for two categories. They’d performed last year and gotten great feedback, but with their album release schedule, it doesn’t make sense for them to perform. They haven’t even released a single yet. 

“Which one is mine?” Ashton asks, sitting as Libby does her hair. They’re in their hotel room with their outfit bags set up on an industrial clothing rack. Their stylist had a last minute family emergency so all they’ve got is their hair and makeup artist and body guards to help them get ready and out the door. 

“Ooh, this is nice,” Mikey unzips her garment bag and holds up her dress. Their color scheme is black and white with red accents, pretty usual for them. Mikey has a white sheath dress that’s made entirely of chopped bits of fabric, falling together to create an elegant mess around her frame. Mikey’s new hair color is bright scarlet to accent, with a set of black heels and bracelets. 

“Hey, show me mine,” Ashton calls from the chair. Luke is next, they have a set order, shortest to longest hair. Calum and Mikey are already done from their neck up. Calum is sitting with her phone in the corner, sweats loose on her hips and a red mark peeking out from the top of her lacy black bras. Luke smirks, she put it there. 

It’s been good. The sex. The friendship. All of it. At first it was odd. The band spends so much time together, the only time they were apart was when someone would go out on a date. Now, Luke and Calum are filling that role for each other and the only time they’re not together is when one of them is on the toilet. It took a week to adjust but it’s been a month of increased inside jokes and post-sex glow. 

“I’ll get it Ash,” Luke pulls Ashton’s garment bag off the rack and leans up against the wall next to the hair station. Luke unzips it and immediately can tell it will look great on Ashton. It’s a bright red bandeau top with a long flowing white skirt, a black belt hanging with the pieces. Luke whistles, “Damn, you’re going to look hot.”

“Show me,” Ashton bounces while Libby tries not to burn Ashton’s head with the curler. Luke turns the garment bag for Ashton to see and she smiles, big like she does every time they get to dress up for events. 

Luke hangs the bag back up, touching the soft fabric inside. Mikey is talking about this song she worked on with Alex and John a few weeks back and how they were thinking of scrapping it but she’s got an idea- Luke zones out. Calum is biting her finger, absent minded, while she scrolls. Luke looks around and picks up a stray kernel of popcorn on the food table. She throws it and hits Calum square in the stomach. 

Calum glances down, then up at Luke, “What?”

“How do you know it was me?”

Calum rolls her eye, “What do you want Luke?”

“Don’t you want to look at your dress?” Luke smiles at Calum and nods to the bags. Calum holds back a grin but lifts herself from her chair and staggers over to the rack. She picks up the bag with her name across the top and unzips the front. 

“As usual, I will be dressed the sluttiest,” Calum comments. 

“Mine is practically a bra,” Ashton interjects, “you can’t beat that at an award show.”

“Wanna bet?” Calum says and pulls out her dress. Luke coughs. Damn. Mikey and Ashton are going to look hot but Calum, Calum’s going to look  _ hot.  _

It’s a babydoll dress that at first glance could’ve been a shirt. The top is a collar of red stone at Calum’s neck that falls down into the upper hem of the dress. It’s black silk from the top of the bust line all the way down to the bottom hem, which won’t fall lower than mid thigh on Calum. 

“Why is there a hole there?” Mikey’s pointing at a slit running from the middle of the bejeweled top piece to about midway down the dress. 

“Because they’re trying to paint me as the whore of the group,” Calum says with a grim look, even if the words come out as a joke. 

“You know that’s not it,” Libby says, applying Ashton’s foundation, “It’s to show off your figure more, create lines on your body. When you’re wearing it, you’ll hardly be able to see any cleavage, but it will drape better that way.”

“Ok, I trust you,” Calum looks warily at the dress. Luke wants to feel bad for Calum, commiserate her changing image within the band, but all Luke can really think of is Calum in the dress. The back is completely open and all of Calum’s tattoos will show.

“Look at yours Luke,” Ashton prompts, to change the tone of the room. 

Luke rubs her neck, “I already know it’s going to be a suit.”

“You don’t know that,” Mikey insists but only half means it. 

Luke meets Calum’s eyes and a similar grimace settles on Luke’s face, “How will they be able to tell the lesbian apart from the rest of you if I’m not wearing pants?”

Calum frowns and sits next to Luke on the edge of the bed. Their narratives had all changed at the same time, and Luke blames herself. Before, when they were starting to get radio time, their clothes were pretty interchangeable. The individual looks didn’t matter so much. After Luke came out, and their second album topped the charts in 67 countries, Luke’s clothes for events became slightly more masculine every time. At the same time, Calum’s clothes became more and more revealing. It’s as if they had to make up for Luke not being into men by objectifying one of the other girls more. Of course it had to be Calum. 

“I’ve got an idea,” Calum whispers. She turns to the rest of the group, “Luke and I are going to go change in our room.”

“No you’re not,” Libby says, “I still have to do Luke’s hair and there is no way you’re going to mess up your make-up.”

“I won’t mess it up,” Calum says, “we’re just going to get changed.”

“Fine,” Libby concedes, too worried about getting Ashton’s focus back from where she’s making faces with Mikey in the mirror, “Be back in fifteen minutes.”

Luke bubbles with joy and grabs her garment bag. She follows after Calum to their room. 

“So, to be clear,” Luke catches up to Calum’s pace, “are we or are we not having sex?”

Calum smirks, “Not now. Come on.” She opens their door and steps in, waiting for Luke to follow.

Luke pulls the zipper on her garment bag and sighs. It’s a suit, a beautiful suit, but it’s not what she wants to wear. Her best friends in the world get to wear beautiful outfits made by some of the most creative designers. Luke’s left here, forced into a stereotype. She’s never brought it up with their stylist, mostly because Luke’s not sure if she’d listen. How does she tell someone that just because she likes women doesn’t mean she wants to look like a man?

“Here,” Calum holds out her garment bag and grabs Luke’s out of her hands. 

“What are you doing?” Luke asks, perplexed, grabbing onto Calum’s bag. 

“I’m wearing your clothes and you’re wearing mine,” Calum’s sweatpants drop to the ground and she steps out of them.

“What?”

“You don’t like wearing pants all the time and I don’t like how the clothes make me look,” Calum is pulling out the pants, fitted black silk. It will be a miracle if they fit over her bum. Calum pulls them on and bends to cuff the bottoms, pulling on the red heels in the bottom of the garment bag. She stands and looks at her bottom half, “Does this work?”

“You wearing my clothes isn’t the problem,” Luke steps forward to lay the bag on her and Calum’s bed and help Calum straightening out the white linen shirt in Luke’s bag, “I’ll never be able to pull off that dress.”

Calum looks up at Luke with that smile that makes Luke’s confidence soar, “You can definitely pull off that dress.”

Luke sighs, “Calum, it’s not like we’re going out. This is an award show. It’s a big deal. We can’t switch clothes.” Even as Luke speaks, she can’t help admiring Calum dressed up in her suit, the sleeves rolled up to her mid forearm. It’s a good look for Calum, highlighting her own beauty rather than that of the clothes. 

“Yeah we can,” Calum pulls the dress out of the garment bag and waits for Luke to start to strip, “We should feel comfortable for once. Besides, everyone will flip out if they get to see your legs in this dress.” The half smirk, half leer Calum gives pushes Luke over the edge. 

Luke loves that she gets to see a different side of Calum. Calum is serious when it comes to sex. Even now, standing in this room, Luke reaching down to pull her top off, Luke can feel Calum’s eyes intent on her body. On the days when they end up sleeping together, there’s a sense of build up the entire day before. They’ll be in the studio and Calum’s fingers will curl into the hair at the base of Luke’s neck or Calum will lean close to whisper in Luke’s ear, sending a shiver up Luke’s spine.

Luke strips down to her underwear and bra, holding her hands out for the dress. Calum steps close, a finger snapping Luke’s bra strap, “you’re not going to be able to wear this.”

Yep. They’re definitely having sex later. Luke’s skin is crawling with it. She grins and asks, “Want to help me?”

Calum, already expecting it, reaches up to unclasp Luke’s bra. Luke pulls the cups off and throws it in the vague direction of her suitcase. Calum’s eyes haven’t left Luke’s. 

“It was either a terrible idea for us to start sleeping together, or a really great one,” Calum says, body relaxed next to Luke. 

Luke leans in to kiss the side of Calum’s neck, avoiding the make up, “Great if you ask me.”

Calum laughs, “Come on, put your dress on. I’ll do your hair and makeup quick and then we can go sit in the car.” Luke hums and pulls the dress over her head. Calum helps with the clasps in the back. 

“Libby was right,” Luke turns to see herself in the mirror, “the slit does help with the draping.”

“Babe,” Calum says, “You look incredible.” 

Luke feels it. Yes, the dress is short, hitting her upper thigh, but the band at the bottom will keep it over her bum. The beaded front sits well on her throat and her shoulders don’t look nearly as wide as they would have in the suit. Calum stands behind Luke in the mirror, to her right, and they look like one hot couple. Luke coughs to chase away the thought. 

Calum decides a braid and minimal make up would work with the dress. They put on one of their pump-up playlists and Calum slowly brushes Luke’s hair. Luke relaxes into it. 

Luke’s been feeling good lately. Semi regular sex is definitely a part of it. It’s nice, having a partner Luke trusts so much. With her past relationships, there were always expectations and that need to impress. She never explored what she liked, always went with what the other party wanted. With Calum, Luke already trusts her so much that she doesn’t mind asking. There’s no worry over Calum leaving or disliking Luke. They’re friendship has been tested over the past nearly ten years, this arrangement they have won’t mess it up. 

But sometimes, like now, with Calum mumbling along with Hey Monday and rubbing foundation gently into Luke’s skin, that Luke wonders if it’s really that. Calum’s been within arms reach of Luke almost constantly for weeks now. Her smile and laugh line Luke’s thoughts and encourage her. Maybe it’s not the fact that Luke is having sex, but who’s bed she’s in. 

Luke pushes it back. That line of thought isn’t healthy. Calum has been clear where she stands on committed relationships while they’re in the thick of this ‘famous band’ thing. Better for Luke not to imagine what it could be like. Luke’s grown up. She’s not a year 9, staring for hours at her friend and pretending it’s normal. She’s not that fourteen year old who’d imagine holding hands with Calum in the halls of their school. No. Now she knows Calum in the most intimate ways possible, both emotionally and physically. That should be enough. The commitment to their friendship should be enough. 

“You good?” Calum asks, applying the last of the lipstick on Luke’s lips. 

“Yeah,” Luke breathes, “Just worried we’re going to get chewed out for this.”

“It’ll be fine,” Calum rests her hand lightly on the side of Luke’s neck, “even if the team doesn’t like it, the rest of the world will.”

Luke looks at her face in the mirror. Calum did a decent job with her makeup, her face is framed well and her lips pop. Calum’s watching Luke’s face so Luke watches Calum. 

A moment later, Luke turns to fix her collar. She can only look at Calum for so long before she starts imagining them taking the red carpet by storm.

*****

“You guys ready?” Liam asks, about to open the door for them to get out. 

“Yep,” Mikey grins and adjusts the folds in her dress. 

Luke leans into Calum, “You’ll tell me if everyone can see my butt.” 

Calum croaks with a quick laugh, “Maybe.”

They’ve yet to be yelled at, Libby too preoccupied with Mikey’s hair deflating and Liam clueless when it comes to clothing. No one will approach them about it until after the show, and by then Luke’s picture will be all over the internet. It’s exciting. And nerve wracking. 

“Alright, let’s go,” Liam says, pushing the door open and ducking to get out of the way of the paparazzi flashes. Ashton climbs out first, smile already plastered on her face. Calum winks at Luke before taking the plunge, waving at the rows of fans and photographers. 

Luke takes a breath, adjusts her dress once more, and pushes out of the car, leaning onto Liam’s arm to get out. The lights hit Luke as they always do, but this time it’s different. This time she’s sexy. This time she won’t be pushed aside, hidden behind neat collars and clean lines. Now everyone’s eyes are on her. 

At least that’s what it feels like. In reality, people are screaming out all of their names, as they always do. Calum has a content gaze, face relaxed and triumphant. It makes Luke click into her skin, finally comfortable. 

Ashton walks forward to the first backdrop, interviewers waiting for them on the other side. Luke trails behind Calum as they set up for a photo, their version of riding a bike. Mikey wraps an arm around Luke’s shoulders and Luke settles into the shot.

The first interviewer calls them over. Luke’s eyes are starting to sting from the flashes. “And here comes the 5sos girls, fresh from their post tour break,” The first interviewer says into her mic as she watches them finish. Luke’s eyes are starting to sting from the flashes so she quickly follows Ashton’s lead over to the interviewer to get in the video camera’s frame. 

“How are you girls doing. I haven't seen you since before the tour!” Luke doesn’t recall this interviewer but it’s polite to pretend they do. 

“We’re great, how are you?” It’s Ashton who answers, forever the best with the press. There’s no way they would’ve gotten farther than playing dumpy bars if Ashton hadn’t agreed to be their drummer. 

“I’m fabulous. Now tell me, how excited are you for the show tonight?”

“So excited,” Mikey says into the mic, classic smirk on her lips, “Our friends from Hey Violet are playing and it’s their first award show so we can’t wait to cheer them on.”

“Oh, if rumors are right, Calum, you have a special interest in Hey Violet, a certain guitarist maybe?” 

Luke’s cheeks pink and she looks down. They always do this. They always try to link one of the girls, normally Calum, with someone. They say it in a way that boxes the girls in so that even a denial could be a confirmation. 

Calum loops an arm around Luke’s waist, the soft silk of her jacket settling along Luke’s back, “Not really, I’m just as close with Casey as Luke is, but I do hope they have a good show.”

“Speaking of Luke,” the interviewer glosses right over Calum’s answer, “you look spectacular. You all do, but Luke, I was shocked silent when you stepped out of the limo.”

“Thank you,” Luke says with a hopefully gracious looking smile. 

“It’s a little different from how you usually dress. Anything new you want to tell us? Anyone you might be trying to impress?”

“Uh, no?” Luke answers, puzzled.

The woman smiles wide, mind calculating the best way to get a hot new scoop out of the girls. She must not be too bright, defaulting to the standard, “So who are you guys wearing?” Luke sighs internally, practicing the designers name in her head a few times before her turn to speak. 

It’s not until after they’ve been seated that Luke starts to relax. People asked about the dress and tried to insinuate it was for a juicy reason while Luke continuously put them down. 

“Hey,” Liam leans over Mikey in the end seat, “show starts in twenty so if you need food or the bathroom, go now.”

Luke turns to Calum, “Want to go to the bathroom with me?”

“Sure,” Calum responds, standing and letting Luke pass in front of her first before the make their way to the aisle. The bathrooms are behind the stage, away from the public eye.

“Am I a genius or am I a genius?” Calum asks with a spark in her eye. 

“I admit your plan did not completely backfire,” Luke grins, trying to hide the confidence seeping out of her pores now that it’s the two of them. 

“What? It worked perfectly! Everyone talked about you in that dress,” Calum opens the door to an empty dressing room. 

“Yeah, but they also still said things about you,” Luke points out. 

“Don’t worry about me,” Calum says, somehow backing Luke up to a vanity table, “I can handle them.”

“If you can fight your own battles, I can fight mine,” Luke makes the point knowing it won’t stick. Calum’s fingers are massaging Luke’s bare thighs.

“Just be grateful and let me help you,” Calum whispers, lips a breath away from Luke’s shoulder. 

Luke knows that at this point she can drag the conversation in one of two ways. First, she could grab Calum’s hands, lead her over to the chairs by the wall and sit her down to discuss why exactly Calum is so focused on Luke yet disregarding herself. They’d have an in depth conversation that might end in clearing up some of the smog surrounding them in Luke’s head. 

But option two. Option two looks like it will involve smudged lipstick and a part two later. Option two also gets them back in their seats before the show starts. 

“Hey,” Luke says, leaning in to Calum’s lips when she turns her head. 

*****

They really need the break. 

They loved touring South East Asia. Mikey always freaks out at all the culture, trying to learn as many new words in as many languages as possible. Ashton and Calum like exploring and trying to find the coolest attractions. Luke kind of follows either group, along for whatever ride they let her on. 

What this means, however, is that they basically don’t sleep for three weeks, starting with all their Australian shows. They live on caffeine and adrenaline until they finish the last show in Seoul. They’re ushered onto a plane home after and Luke doesn’t come through the fog of travel until she wakes up in her family home with Calum’s arms wrapped around her and her mother standing over the bed. 

“Huh?” Is the first thing she says. Luke has no recollection of exiting the plane or any sense of time. 

“Hey Sweetie,” Liz whispers. She’s picking up Luke and Calum’s discarded clothes. Luke quickly does a body check to see if they’re wearing any under the covers. Luke’s got a band tee on and Calum’s in her underwear but that won’t alarm Liz. Calum’s become so entrenched in their house and their family that Calum could walk around naked in front Luke’s brothers and they’d both shield their eyes in disgust and tell her to cover up, the same way they’d say it to Luke. 

“What happened?” Luke mumbles. 

“Liam dropped you and Calum on the porch ten hours ago and you’ve been asleep ever since. “

“What time is it?” Luke asks, scrambling for her phone. 

Liz sighs but it’s fond on her lips, “Almost four. Dinner’s going to be ready in a few hours and there are leftovers from last night in the fridge if you’re hungry now.” With that she heads to the door, “Or sleep more if you need to,” and she’s out of the room. 

Luke yawns. She doesn’t want to sleep anymore, her schedule already too out of whack as it is. Calum burrows her nose deeper into Luke’s armpit and grumbles. 

“Gross Cal,” Luke giggles.

“Shut up,” Calum mumbles, words sucked up by Luke’s skin against her mouth. Calum’s hair is a mess and there are deep bags under her eyes. All of them have been painting on the makeup lately, hiding the little marks and under-eye bruises that reveal how little they’ve slept. Last time Mikey had looked tired, the fans had started a trend on twitter telling her to get some rest. 

“Go back to sleep,” Luke says, pulling her arms out from under Calum’s body. They’re both slimy with sweat and Calum’s hair is caked with grease and last night’s hair gel. Luke is still hesitant to pull away, more dismayed at the thought of being away from Calum than at the state of her once clean bed. 

“Stay,” Calum tugs Luke down. Calum pushes her face up to kiss the lines of Luke’s jaw before settling back down on Luke’s shoulder. 

Luke stays. Luke stares at the ceiling as Calum snuffles into her shoulder. 

What the fuck are they doing? This isn’t...they aren’t doing this right. Some boundary has been crossed and Luke can’t tell where she ends and where Calum begins. 

Calum is everything to Luke. Calum’s the person Luke wants to call when she wants to get pizza, or see a movie, or have sex. Isn’t the point of friends with benefits that you want to spend time with one person and sleep with another? It’s not supposed to be one person for everything. That’s a relationship. That’s commitment and Valentine's days and inside jokes and comfort. That’s how Luke feels about Calum. That’s how Calum treats Luke. 

Calum shifts in her sleep and Luke wonders if she should tell Calum they’ve somehow found themselves in a relationship. It sends panic down her spine. Calum’s been clear on how she feels about commitment. That’s why she has Luke at the bottom of a list in her black book. Hell, Luke isn’t even the only one Calum’s got right now. 

Luke needs to stop. Every time, every damn time, she wanders down this road of thought, she works herself up and imagines countless scenarios where she and Calum decide to put a stamp on whatever it is going on between them. It varies from Calum proposing in the middle of a show, them growing old together, just never stopping their arrangement. Luke can’t keep doing this to herself. It’s not healthy, imagining adopting children with your best friend and naming them after pop punk legends. 

Liz hadn’t even batted an eye when she saw Calum and Luke curled up together. Luke is crazy to think that she and Calum could be more if Luke’s mother isn’t even asking questions. Is Luke confusing all these feelings of companionship for love? Or is this love? Is this type of friendship, life-giving and never boring, is this the love that Luke’s been told since she was young that she should be looking for? Screw sex at this point, is this feeling, the contentedness of being wrapped up with Calum, is that what she’s been singing songs about all this time?

“What are you thinking about?” Calum grumbles. Her eyebrows are furrowed as she traces Luke’s face with her eyes. Luke pulls her lips from the puckered frown they’d settled in. 

“Mom is making dinner but I’m hungry now,” Luke says off the cuff. 

Calum’s worry melts into a smile, “By the time we shower it will be done. 

“Calum,” Luke puts her face in her palm, “We are not showering together in my family’s house.”

“Why not?” Calum asks, standing and grabbing Luke’s robe to pull over her shoulder, “They wouldn't know what we were doing.”

“What would be doing exactly?” Luke asks and then catches herself, “No, stop, I do not need my family knowing that you and I are comfortable naked in confined spaces together.”

“Come on Luke,” Calum steps up and grabs Luke’s hand, “I really want to make out with you and your door doesn’t have a lock. Your bathroom does.”

“Well, when you put it like that,” Luke sways forward into Calum’s space, fake bravado that comes natural from doing this for months. From one moment being the shoulder Calum can cry on and the next being the bum Calum can squeeze. Luke doesn’t know which role she likes more but right now, it’s easy to slide into the more carnal role while her head is still full of emotions. 

Calum chuckles, “You’re too easy Hemmings.”

“Just for you,” Luke says, with the intention of it being a joke but the words sounding true. Calum glosses over it, throwing a towel at Luke’s face. 

“If anything your parents will thank me,” Calum grins, “I can teach you how to keep the water in the tub.” 

Luke follows Calum out of the room, checking down the hall to make sure no one is coming. Luke watches Calum’s hips covered by her robe. Letting this happen is either pushing them one step closer to Luke’s fantasy or one step closer to Luke’s meltdown and subsequent loss of a friend. 

Luke locks the bathroom door behind them and Calum is already naked by the time she turns around. Luke will face the consequences later. 

*****

“This club is great,” Mikey says. Luke does not echo the sentiment. 

The club sucks. It’s London’s latest hotspot and they were promised free drinks for the night if they sat in the VIP section for a few hours. Luke’s on her fourth Old Fashioned and is thinking of switching to straight shots soon. 

It’s not the club that’s ruining Luke’s fun. All and all, it’s tasteful. The DJ had given them a shout out for their first successful night at the O2 so that had been nice. The club owner himself had brought over their drinks with a bottle of champagne that Ashton is currently drinking straight out off. So, nice. Probably will do pretty well overall. 

It’s the clientele that’s been pissing Luke off. The problem with being one of the most famous lesbians besides the Ellens is that it’s hard to talk to people at clubs reeking of heterosexuality. Everyone on the dance floor is looking to take someone home tonight. The overwhelming majority of straight men could care less about dancing with Luke when they could try impressing one of her bandmates who might actually take them home. As for girls, Luke knows from experience that if someone approaches her, it’s more likely that they’re a straight girl who wants to make out with one of the world’s most famous lesbians rather than an actual queer woman. Luke has only ever met two lesbians at a club and it was a married couple out celebrating their friend’s engagement. 

So Luke’s downer attitude has kept her at the edge of the dance floor, drink in hand, watching Calum dance with an ever increasing number of attractive men. It’s as if Calum doesn’t realize she and Luke are in some sort of pseudo relationship and thus Calum should only be paying attention to Luke and not the ever increasing number of attractive men. 

“Dude,” Mikey elbows Luke, her hair plastered to her forehead. She dyed it green the other day, “You look way too jealous right now.”

“Well,” Luke seethes, “that’s probably because I am jealous.”

“Luke,” Mikey trails off and Luke tears her eyes from the man’s hands currently tracing the bottom seam of Calum’s dress. “You had to expect this would happen eventually.”

“What?”

“Calum sleeping with someone else. It’s her thing,” Mikey’s eyes are slightly glazed, truth serum in the form of the right quantity of alcohol swimming in her veins, “She gets someone to sleep with her a lot over a short period of time and she doesn’t really see them again. Never in the same way.”

“Are you saying she’s going to just stop after half a year?” Luke’s teeth clack against the lip of her glass as she quickly downs the rest of her drink. 

“Probably not, you made sex way too convenient for her. But she’s going to sleep with someone else. You should too.” 

Luke swallows. Calum’s fingers, the fingers that pluck a bass and caress Luke, are gripping the guy’s dumb flannel. Flannels are only cool if you’re Luke or Calum and you’re matching at a party. The dude looks dumb. 

“I don’t want to sleep with anyone else,” Luke confides in Mikey. 

“Yeah, I know, I’ve known since seventh grade. Unfortunately Calum’s not on the same page,” Mikey reaches out for a beer on a tray walking past and Luke balks. 

“Um, excuse me?”

Mikey sighs and flicks her hair out of her eyes, “Oh my god, shut up. It’s been obvious since we were in seventh grade that you want to grow old together with Calum. Big deal.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about-”

“I thought you were over it there for awhile, dating those other girls, but then of course you guys had to be dumb and sleep together. You need to nip this in the bud Luke. Go fuck someone else.” Mikey bops off into the crowd as one of her favorite songs pumps through the speakers. 

Luke’s mouth is dry. She’s feeling more than a little betrayed by one of her best friends. Pushing that aside along with the horror of Calum possibly noticing Luke’s ‘obvious crush’ before Luke was even out, Luke goes to the bar. Luke trusts Mikey’s advice more than almost anyone and Luke’s had enough drinks that she likes the idea of someone else buying her one. Mindless flirting with straight men might get her to at least turn her back to the sight of Calum grinding on people who are not Luke. 

“What are you drinking?” A man slides up next to Luke. 

Luke blinks a few times in surprise, “Old Fashions, but I could go for a beer.” 

The guy, a handsome, business man looking type, grabs the bartender’s attention. He points to his almost empty beer glass and holds up two fingers. The girl behind the bar nods. 

“So, how do you like this club?” the guy asks, flashing a dazzling smile that must have cost him a few thousand dollars. 

“Do you know who I am?” Luke doesn’t mean it to come out catty, she’s not the type to use her celebrity, but it’s not a secret that the band are in control of the VIP section tonight.

“Yeah,” the guy chuckles, “you’re Luke Hemmings. I’m Chris. Nice to meet you.” He sticks out his hand and Luke’s mouth is gaping slightly. She shakes his hand. “Look,” he says when she doesn’t start talking, “I’m a big fan and wanted to say hello to at least one of you and you happen to be the easiest to reach right now. Promise, my intentions are completely PG.”

“Oh,” Luke says, “Well, thank you.”

The guy laughs again, “Not many people approach you just to say thanks for making great music?”

Luke grins and takes the beer the bartender has set next to her, “Not many in clubs.” She raises the beer to her lips and takes a sip. When she lowers the bottle, Calum is pushed up against her front, taking up the space between Luke and the guy. 

“I think we should go home,” Calum says. Her eyes are fiery, dark with something that looks like lust but the tone suggests anger. 

“I thought you were enjoying yourself,” Luke’s smile turns down and she pushes acid into the words, “It looked like you were having fun out there.”

Calum blinks a few times at Luke, confusion lining her face, before she turns to look at the guy, “If you’ll excuse us. She’s not interested.”

“That’s fine, didn’t think she was. Have a good night,” the guy, who’s actually kind of nice so Luke might as well make an effort to remember his name. 

“Chris,” Luke says, Calum pulling on her wrist. Chris looks up, “Thanks for the drink.”

“No problem. Keep rocking,” he smiles and turns as Calum yanks Luke’s arm. 

“What’s your problem?” Luke shouts over the music. Calum stops and moves into Luke’s space. 

“My problem? I was saving you from that guy!” Calum exclaims.

Luke sighs, “He wasn’t trying to turn me or something. He was a fan.”

“Whatever,” Calum pouts, “I still want to go home.”

Luke looks over Calum’s shoulder into the throng of people. They’re right in the middle of a busy intersection between the dance floor and the bar and they have to lean close to hear each other. Calum’s shoulder are held tense.

“Mikey thought...” Luke trails off. This probably isn’t the time to address their issues, screaming them out into a public space. Luke steps forward, nose to Calum’s temple and lips next to her ear, “Mikey thought you’d want to take someone home with you.”

Calum swallows when Luke’s hand settles on her hip. It’s a possessive gesture, not Luke’s usual thing, but it feels necessary. 

“Yeah, Mikey was right. I’m taking you.” Calum grabs Luke’s wrists again but this time it’s with heat, drawing Luke out of the bar and into the street. 

They break out of the club and the skin on their arms puckers with goose bumps. They stumble through the people waiting to enter the club and a cab magically appears on the curb where they’re standing. Calum pulls the door open and slides in, Luke following right after as Calum gives their London address. 

Luke sinks back into the stained seat and processes the last five minutes. Calum lets out a breath and settles next to her. 

“I hope you have money,” Calum says, “because I left my purse with Niall.”

Luke digs around in her bras and finds her ID and a few notes, enough to cover their cab fare at least, “Looks like your lucky night.” Luke’s eyes slide to Calum, taking in her messy hair and her hand reaching for Luke, curling into Luke’s shirt. Yep, definitely Calum’s lucky night. Luke’s too. 

Calum draws Luke in, an inch between them. Calum slides down the seat and Luke is hovering over her. They’re not dumb. They’re not going to make out in the back of a cab just to be photographed at a stoplight. Calum, however, seems to have forgotten that they’re not dumb, her hands settling at the seam of Luke’s pants, waiting for the usual enthusiastic consent that Luke gives. Tonight it’s not coming. Not yet.

“What happened back there?” Luke breathes, raising up a few inches to catch Calum’s eyes. 

“Nothing,” Calum answers, drawing her hand away from Luke’s pants and up her waist.

Luke sits all the way up, out of Calum’s reach and stares at her. She looks caught, hand freezing as it leaves Luke’s person, like she finally realized where they were and that the back of the cab might not be a good place to get jiggy with it. 

“You were...jealous?” Luke suggests, waiting for the dismissal. 

Calum’s lips thin out. She looks Luke right in the eyes and says, “So were you.”

It feels like they’re daring each other, trying to trick the other into saying more. They’ve never been like this before. Luke doesn’t like this, barriers between them. 

“Yeah,” Luke mumbles. 

Calum sits up and adjusts her dress, pulling it down over the places Luke saw someone else touch her.

Luke bites the corner of her lip before asking, “When was the last time you slept with a man.”

Shock overtakes Calum’s face. At first Luke thinks it’s because of the question but Calum crosses her arms over her chest, “When do you think?”

“I don’t know,” Luke says with a shrug. 

“Luke,” Calum shakes her head, “we’ve spent basically every night together for months.”

“Calum,” Luke mocks, “if anyone has taught me that night time is not the only time to have sex, it’s you.”

That gets Calum’s stony expression to crack. It’s faint, but the flicker of a smile appears on Calum’s face, “Fine, it’s been awhile. It was just...” Calum eyes the cabbie before she continues but he is dutifully watching the road and listening to the traffic. Calum lowers her voice, “It's easier to sleep with you. And safer, you know? You wouldn’t lie to me and stuff.”

Luke’s pulse picks up for a moment. “You don’t miss sleeping with men then?” Luke asks. You could not pay Luke to get in bed with a man again, but she knows Calum generally likes it. 

Calum rolls her eyes, “No. I don’t miss sleeping with people who fetishize me and try too hard. I like sex with you. It’s... comfortable.” Calum ends off with, bringing her boot clad feet up and into Luke’s lap. 

“You like sex with me, or you like sex with women?” Luke asks. She knows she’s digging her own grave but she can’t help it, needs the reassurance. 

“28 quid,” the driver says, pulling up out front of their place. Luke hands over the crumpled, boob-sweat covered bills, and pushes open the door. 

The driver pulls away from the curb and Luke and Calum are left alone on the sidewalk in front of their place. Outside the warmth of the cab, the conversation they were having chills Luke as much as the air. Luke pulls open the front gate and steps in, holding the thick wood open for Calum to step through. Calum steps up to Luke but doesn’t walk through the gate. She picks up where they left off, hands sliding up Luke’s torso, tugging at the old band tee with Kurt Cobain’s face on it.

“I’ve always liked how this shirt looks on you,” Calum whispers into the space between their lips. 

“Aren’t you supposed to like how it looks off me?” Luke mumbles, lips dragging against Calum’s skin. 

Calum grins, looks at the ground and then grabs Luke’s eyes. “You,” Calum states, “I like sleeping with you.” Calum’s fingertips dig into Luke’s skin, the slightest increase in pressure. 

“Ok,” Luke answers. 

“Your turn,” Calum’s fingers slide behind Luke and down, “Do you like sleeping with women, or do you like sleeping with me?”

Luke doesn’t have the mental faculties to answer that question in a way that wouldn’t be incriminating; pointing towards Luke’s desire for something more solidified. So Luke gets involved, gets her hands around Calum’s jaw and her lips on Calum’s and she takes her time making Calum forget the whole conversation with a few tricks that she stole from Calum’s arsenal.

*****

Calum’s sitting with her legs over the top of the couch and her head hanging down, a magazine held so she can read and bite her lip. Her hair is getting long. The ends have enough weight to fall towards the floor, pulling away from Calum’s high cheeks. 

Luke’s not stalking Calum. It’s her house. Sure, Calum doesn’t know that Luke’s been at the doorway for the past three minutes, psyching herself up. Luke’s certain Calum would laugh if she knew. She’d smile, crack a joke about Luke liking the view, and draw Luke in with the rise and fall of her stomach. Luke would be helpless, would bury her face into the soft heat of Calum’s mid-drift, gently exposed by her loose clothing. 

Luke turns away. She teases at her lip ring and clicks her fingers, trying to find a balance.

“Luke?” Luke freezes, “Where are you? I can hear you doing your weird finger thing.”

“Shit,” Luke mumbles, back tracking into the room, “hey.”

“Hey,” Calum swings her legs down and lies on the couch. Her hair has twisted into a mess. Luke likes the length. 

Luke clenches her hands together, gets her blood flowing, and stumbles over to fall on Calum with a small ‘oof.’ 

“Ok,” Calum grins as she adjusts her legs so Luke can lie in between them, “What’s up with you?”

Luke rests her head against Calum’s stomach. She’s tempted to give into the gentle rocking that comes with each of Calum’s breath but- she has to do this. She’s been prepping for this conversation for almost a week now, since they went to that club. 

“Feelings,” Luke’s fingers grasp onto the pooling fabric of Calum’s shirt. 

“Feelings?” Calum smirks.

“Yes,” Luke breathes out. 

“What about them?”

Like turns her head to the side and let’s it’s settle over Calum's belly button, “I have them.”

Caulk snickers, “I would hope. If you didn’t, I’d be worried.”

“I have them for you,” Luke ploughs forward, “I have these big, confusing, all encompassing feelings for you. I have for awhile.”

A hand sneaks into Luke’s hair, “yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“I guess I kind of knew,” Calum says, still humor in her voice, “you’re not hard to read.”

Luke swallows hard, “Oh well-“

“To be clear, I have them too.” Calum says, “very big, very confusing, all that.”

Luke raises her head, “really?”

Calum smiles, “Of course, Lukey.”

Luke returns the smile and cuddles back down into Calum's stomach, “ok.”

They sit in silence, just they’re breathing creating a melody between them.

“Hey Luke?”

“Hm?”

“So we’re on the same page- this is like- a forever type of thing right? Like, we can’t go back from this but we both are cool with that?”

“Yep,” Luke places a brief kiss to Calum's belly.

“Good. Want to watch something?”

“Sure.”

****

It honestly doesn’t come up again for three weeks. 

“Luke,” Ashton says one night when they’re out at dinner, “This girl I went to high school with wants your number. She’s gorgeous and really funny- can I give it to her?”

The mood changes very quickly- Luke’s eyes widen, Calum shoots a glare toward Ashton before shifting closer to Luke. Mikey even casts a pointed look Luke’s way.

“No,” Luke finally says, “I’m not interested.”

Ashton accepts it with a quick nod, Calum loses some of the tension around her shoulders but Mikey sits forward and starts using her beer bottle to punctuate her words.

“Why not? It’s been ages since you’ve actually been on a date- and spending all day with Calum doesn’t count. It might be good for you to start getting back out there.”

Luke and Calum send quick glances between each other and the silence makes Ashton join Mikey in looking at them expectantly. 

“So,” Luke starts, “it’s a funny story.”

“Really funny,” Calum agrees.

“What?” Asks Ashton, prompting them.

Luke forces a grin, “We sort of forgot to tell you that we had the whole ‘girlfriends’ conversation.”

Both Ashton and Mikey pull back. Mikey crows, “what?”

“Yeah,” Calum grins, “we’re, like, together now.”

“Since when?” Ashton prods.

“Uhh,” Luke thinks about it, “almost a month now.”

“Our anniversary is the 6th.” Calum says around the lip of her beer bottle.

Like turns to her, “you remembered the day?”

“Yeah of course,” Calum sees the hesitant glee on Luke’s face and come to the correct conclusion, “did you not?”

Luke is saved by the metaphorical bell of Mikey’s incredulity, “No way- literally nothing has changed between you two.”

“That just proves that we waited too long to have that conversation because we’ve basically been in a relationship for...awhile.” Calum concludes.  They all sit and stare at each other before Calum points out, “this is the time you’re supposed to say how happy you are for us.”

“Of course!” Ashton almost yells, “oh my god we’re so happy for you! We’re just so surprised!”

“We honestly thought this whole thing you were doing was going to crash and burn but this is great!” Mikey chimes in.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” Luke pouts.

“No no no- really this is great.” Mikey raises her bottle, “cheers to you guys, for making mature adult decisions.”

They all cheers and Luke overlaps her fingers with Calum's under the table.

*****

“So this is a weird thing on twitter,” they’re in a tour bus in the US when Calum pokes Luke’s thigh with her toe.

“Yeah?” 

“You know how we decided that we don’t care if people know that we’re together and that our relationship is strong enough to deal with any media bullshit?”

“Yes, I remember that conversation well.” They’d been at a waterfall. It was all quite romantic considering their normal romantic gestures are bringing each other frozen pizza in bed or forgetting to light the strategically placed candles before they have sex. 

“And because of that conversation we are now fine with indulging in PDA?”

Luke nods again, “Yep, I was there too.”

Calum turns her screen to Luke to see the clear headline:  _ Five Seconds of Friendship- Luke and Calum seen out in Philadelphia.  _ Luke scrolls and underneath the headline is a picture of them walking, hand in hand, down a sidewalk from the day before. Luke’s head is tipped back laughing. They look very much in love. 

“Is it, like, sarcastic?”

“Nope. They go on to detail the history of our friendship and even go so far that I’m cheering you up since you’re still obviously broken up about your ex girlfriend from two and a half years ago.”

“Wow, she must have been something,” Luke quips and Calum pokes her thigh again, harder, “I’m kidding.”

“I know,” Calum pulls herself up, leans over her leg propped next to Luke, “I thought they’d say mean things- like that you had seduced me or that we were going to break up the band or something. I wasn’t expecting them to think we weren't together.”

“Babe, we look disgusting in that picture. They’re either purposefully being obtuse or are idiots. Look at the replies, see what the fans are saying.”

“I did,” Calum scrolls, “There are some who are like ‘these are super gay’ but the bulk are people wishing they had a friendship like we do.”

Luke watches Calum’s face, the light frown and the deep crease in her forehead, “What is bothering you about this, really?”

Calum looks up, drops the phone, and leans her head back against the couch, “You know I love you, right?”

“Yeah, I love you too.”

“You really know it right? Like, I’m obsessed with you. I want to spend all my time with you. I write songs about how crazy you make me feel. I think about adopting dogs with you and having a farm in the middle of nowhere with 50 dogs and us and that’s about it. That’s my dream.” 

Luke leans her head back too, matching Calum’s angle, “I didn’t know about the dog rescue but yeah, I know. I didn’t at first. Or- I separated it, like I always knew I was one of your best friends and then we had great chemistry. But I know those are the same thing now and it’s much bigger than the two separate things I thought it was.”

Calum nods, strands of hair falling from behind her ear, “Ok, as long as you know.”

“Is that what bothers you?” Luke cards her fingers through Calum’s hair, realigning the fallen strands, “That if other people don’t see it, I won’t feel it?”

Calum pouts, “Kind of. It’s more that- well- everyone has always known you’ve had a crush on me. Besides Ashton and Mikey, there used to be all those posts on tumblr that were compilations of you staring at me. I don’t want you to doubt I love you back because they don't see it.” She bites her lip before continuing, “Mikey and Ashton didn’t have to say it but I know the reason they think this wouldn’t work was because of me. They didn’t think I was ready to commit to someone or that I was ready to love someone. They never questioned you, just me. And I don’t want you to question me either.”

“I don’t,” Luke whispers. She moves her head close, bumps their foreheads, “You could break up with me right now and I’d still be convinced the rest of my life that you were secretly pining for me.”

Calum snorts, Luke’s goal, “Good thing we’re not breaking up then. I wouldn’t handle a lifetime of pining well.” Calum kisses Luke. Luke doesn’t know how the world doesn’t see it. Sure, Luke has her emotions written in huge words across her face but Calum is just as obvious to read if you watch her body. She practically screams from the rooftops every time she so much as touches Luke. 

Luke pulls back, “You know what we have to do right?”

“Yes,” Calum moves to straddle Luke.

“Not that,” Luke pauses, “Well, yes that. But also- we have to see how far they’ll go.”

“What do you mean?”

“There’s got to be a breaking point where they have to acknowledge that we’re in a relationship. We are in the perfect position to see what that point is.”

Calum smirks, “I am all in on this plan but-” she tips Luke’s head back, “later.”

“I’m all for later!” Luke says before Calum’s nails trail down her back. 

*****

Calum helps Luke out of the limo for the AMAs and then her hand finds the small of Luke’s back and doesn’t really leave that spot. They get shuffled along the red carpet, no one ever really pointing out that Luke is basically curled into Calum. Their stylist does make a comment about them ruining the lines of the dresses but they know she’s not too mad.

The whole thing goes along like any normal award show, they sit for a bit and then are called back to get ready for their performance. 

Luke sends a look Calum’s ways that Calum picks up on, “what?”

“Nothing.”

“Luke, what are you going to do?”

“I said nothing, chill.”

Luke’s nefarious plan that she performs perfectly is, when she’s supposed to sing into the camera for the second verse of the song, she skips over to Calum’s mic and crowds into Calum’s space, singing directly to Calum, right up in her space. Calum rolls her eyes but plays into it, jamming along. They’re lips practically brush the whole time and Luke does press a kiss to the apple of Calum’s cheek before heading back to her microphone to finish the song. 

They get back great reviews the next day, only one of them mentioning the obvious lipstick stain on Calum’s cheek as they finished the song- calling it a “weak motif to Madonna’s famous performance they neither added or detracted from the song.”

*****

They’re bleary eyed on a Tuesday morning, on a local radio show somewhere in the midwest. The radio host’s name is brad or chad or something and supposedly they’d met before but none of them can remember him.

“So how is touring this time around?”

“It’s different,” Ashton takes over because the rest of them would be in the toilet without her, “this time it’s a little longer tour but we’re doing a lot of the same venues as we did on our last tour so it’s also kind of familiar.” 

“Plus we get to eat all the food we ate last time,” Calum offers, eyes blinking awake, “You guys have some incredible food here.”

“There’s so much gravy,” Mikey says which makes the host laugh.

“What about relationships?” the co-host, a woman who Luke can’t remember the name of, “last time you toured, it was reverse of right now, right? Luke and Ashton were in relationships and Calum, you were rumored to be with someone? And now, Mikey, you’re engaged and everyone else is single. That must make for a different experience for all of you.”

Mikey kicks it off, “I mean, yeah, it’s harder to be away from home when someone’s waiting there for you but my fiance has visited a few times this tour and we’ve got a trip planned for when this is all over.”

Before the hosts can dig into Mikey’s response, Luke interrupts, “And Calum and I aren’t single.” The girls all laugh, Calum’s a small chuckle and both Ashton and Mikey surprised guffaws, “Hey, why’re you all laughing?”

“Nothing, surprised,” Ashton smiles back, “Wasn’t expecting that this morning.”

“I think I missed out on a joke here,” the dude radio host grins to try and get in on it, “What’s the story, who are you guys dating?”

“Each other,” Luke replies. 

“Yep,” Calum says into the microphone and this time it’s the two radio hosts who snicker.

“Oh really, well,” the host over exaggerates, “You heard it here first folks, Calum and Luke are off the market.” 

Luke’s heart sinks for a beat- she had thought that out right acknowledging it would have to be the breaking point but as the man cuts to the next song, it’s obvious he still thinks its a joke. Her only saving grace is turning to see Calum roll her eyes in the host’s direction. 

*****

“So,” Ashton asks when they’re writing together in a hotel one night, “When will this game end with you guys?”

“I thought it would when we confirmed on the radio that we were in a relationship.” Luke erases another line of lyrics that describe exactly how she’s feeling so she can never put in a song. 

“Same, but middle america might not have been the best place to do that.” 

“You think it would go differently if we had done it in New York or LA?”

“I think it would go differently if you would talk to the PR team before you do anything else.” Ashton is making the face where she’s waiting for you to agree that she’s right about something.

“You’re probably right.”

“I am right,” Ashton affirms, “I don’t know why you’re doing it this way. Some people are saying you’re queer-baiting and even more would be if you weren’t an out and proud lesbian.”

“That’s what I don’t get- I’m out, why is it not sticking?”

“You know why Luke,” Ashton squeezes Luke’s hand, “People don't want to believe Calum is in a relationship.”

Luke sighs, rest her head on her fist, “that’s why we’re doing it, you know?” Ashton perks up at it, “She feels guilty that no one seems to think she loves me.”

“Of course she loves you,” Ashton says.

“I know that, it’s other people. Like you and Mikey, you guys didn’t believe it.”

“Yeah but that’s different,” Ashton insists, “We’d known you for years and had filed the relationship as a friendship and then nothing changed, even when you started sleeping together, you still spent the same amount of time together. Neither of you was putting any more work into what to us was just a friendship but the longer you guys are together, the more obvious it is that it never really was one.”

Luke tries to hide her smile, “thanks Ash. That doesn’t explain the rest of the world.”

“It kind of does though,” Ashton continues, “To them, nothing has changed. The things you and Calum have been doing, you’ve always done those things or we’ve all done them with each other. You and I have held hands, Calum’s kissed all of us on stage at one point or another. All the fans have always tried to be respectful, maybe this is their way of doing that as well?”

Luke scrunches her nose, “I hate when you’re right.”

“I know,” Ashton tugs on a strand of Luke’s hair, “No matter what people say when you do whatever it is that you end up doing, all that matters is what you guys think. And us of course,” Ashton raises her eyebrows in a mock serious expression, “All further relationship decisions have to be filtered through Mikey and me.”

Luke snorts, “I’ll make sure to get your approval before I propose.”

“Oh please Luke,” Ashton rolls her eyes, “You won’t be the one proposing.”

“I could be!” Ashton gives her the ‘I’m right’ look again and Luke concedes the point “Ok, fine, you’re right. Make sure Calum doesn’t do anything dumb when she proposes.”

*****

“You’re cool with this, right?” Luke checks in, Calum’s arms around hr shoulder as Luke sits between her thighs.

“Yeah, I’m cool,” something about the tone doesn’t sit right with Luke. She raises an eyebrow and Calum sighs, “It sounds so dumb, I should be grateful I'm not getting outed, but I really really wanted everyone to just- know.”

“It’s not dumb,” Luke reassures, “It’s sweet and romantic, so totally out of character for you.” She gets a pinch on the ribs for that but continues, “I think down the road, you will appreciate that we got to control the story. It doesn’t make it any better now of course, but I am really excited for people to know you’re my person.”

Calum rolls her eyes, “Take the picture Lukey.”

They end up posting it to the 5sos official instagram, Calum’s arms pulling Luke in tight as she presses a kiss to Luke’s cheek. The keep the caption simple  _ Attention: Cake is real (no its not a joke). _

*****

“Ready to go girls?” Ashton shouts at them over the sounds of the fans in the audience. 

Luke is. Luke is so ready to go. Six hours ago she posted a picture with her girlfriend online that now has over five million likes and thousands of comments. She’d ready to go out there, be hella gay, and rocks some socks off some people. 

They follow Ashton on stage, instruments at the ready and launch into the music. 

“How’s everyone doing tonight?” Luke yells into the mic after their first song, met with a wall of sound from the crowd. 

“I said how is everyone doing tonight?” More screaming, “Thanks for hanging out with us tonight.”

“Yeah,” Mikey chimes in, “we know our band sucks.”

“Hey,” Luke interrupts, “my girlfriend is in this band and she rocks.”

Luke hadn’t known why she was so afraid because this scream from the audience is just as eardrum-rupturing as the first.

“Well,” it’s Calum this time, “my girlfriend is also in this band but it still sucks.” 

Luke is giddy, making eye contact with Calum. She pouts at Calum, pretending to be stung and the audience starts chanting, first only a few people but then a mounting singular voice, “Cake! Cake! Cake!”

Calum, bass and all runs over to Luke, still pouting, and kisses Luke in the middle of the stage.

“Ok, ok, it isn’t that kind of show guys,” Mikey tries to calm the crowd and get Luke and Calum to refocus. 

Calum pulls away, far enough so the mics can’t pick them up, hand still on Luke’s neck, “Hi.”

“Hi,” Luke echoes, “you’re hot.”

“So are you,” Calum smirks, “doing anything after the show?”

“Hanging out with you.” Luke responds.

“Yo lovebirds,” Ashton yells, “we’ve got a song to play. Stopping being sappy and do your jobs.” 

“Alright, alright, calm down,” Calum says into Luke’s mic before heading back to her own microphone. She winks once at Luke before Ashton intros the next song.

*****

**Author's Note:**

> Stay safe and healthy! Thanks for reading!
> 
> tumblr: emmybazy.tumblr.com


End file.
